Alternate Ending for The Lady or the Tiger
by Lily Turwaithiel
Summary: I had to write this for my Freshman english class. I liked it so I decided to submit. You won't understand whats going on unless you read The Lady or the Tiger so I suggest you do. Read and Review please!


"The Lady, or the Tiger" Ending

Without the slightest hesitation, he went to the door on the right, and opened it.

The door opened and out stepped the fairest and loveliest maiden in the court. The other door beneath the king opened as well and the priest, choristers, and dancing maidens with their horns blowing came out to wed the pair.

"Ah!" boomed the barbaric king as he turned towards his daughter, "So the man is innocent!" The princess nodded and continued to watch the ridiculous wedding with tears in her eyes. She knew that this was the right thing to do but that doesn't mean that she has to enjoy it.

As the wedding went on, the youth looked up and locked eyes with the princess. With his eyes he asked the one question that princess did not want to answer: "Why?" She shook her head and looked away, not able to look at him any longer. The youth shook his head sadly and looked back towards the priest and mumbled his "I do's." The youth could not understand why she didn't just let him die. He assumed that the princess would send him to the tiger since she is barbaric and he was prepared for it. The youth would rather die then be with anyone else, but the princess would rather see him with someone else then have him die. The wedding was over and the newly wed couple left while the audience clapped enthusiastically. The princess politely excused herself and left as well.

The next day in the place the princess passed the youth in the hall on her way to her chambers. The youth looked hopefully in her direction and she acknowledged him with a nod and hurried on her way. This continued on for many months, until one day the princess stopped before the youth, looked around her to make sure they were alone, and quickly told him what she had just learned.

Her father had been talking to her and said that she would be wed to the king of the neighboring country in order to ensure an ally. She would be leaving in a fortnight to live in the king's castle and was allowed to bring one courtier and three maids of her own. She had requested that he be her courtier. The princess told him that he wouldn't be coming back to this country for another four years. The youth had asked about his family and the princess told him that unfortunately there was no room in the castle for his and the maid's families. The youth bowed and said that he was honored to be chosen. The princess smiled and nodded her head and after a quick look around the hall gave a hurried kiss on the cheek to the youth and rushed to her chambers.

When the youth got home at the end of the day he told his wife that he had been chosen by the princess to leave with her in a fortnight. His wife was not to happy about this news and suspected the princess had more behind choosing him to be her courtier then the youth just being a hard worker. But the youth's wife wouldn't say anything or argue about him leaving because that would be arguing against the royals and would lead to being thrown in the arena with the tiger.

The fortnight was over and the day had come when the youth, the princess, and her three maids would leave for the neighboring country. The youth had set aside enough money for his wife to last four years alone and brought what little was left with him. He was not all excited to be leaving with the princess, for when he got there he would have to watch the princess get married to another man. Then again, the youth had thought, she had to watch me get married to another maiden.

The carriage that the princess and her royal maids and courtier was in started to roll away to take them to the neighboring country. When they arrived they came to see a castle larger then the princess's and a wedding more extravagant then any anyone has ever seen. There were bright colored banners of red, gold, green, and silver along the ceiling and walls. There were exotic flowers of many different sizes, shapes, and smells too, along the sides of the walls.

The princess was greeted by the handsome king and brought to the front of the hall to begin the wedding as soon as possible. The youth and the other maids were led to their chambers where they set down their things and the princess's things and hurried back to the wedding. The wedding was just as short and sweet as the youth's wedding in the arena and afterwards was a celebration of the marriage by all the townspeople near the castle. Everyone form the city surrounding the castle had come to celebrate the alliance to their neighboring country and their king's wedding to the semi- barbaric princess. It was a happy night for everyone in the two countries and everyone was enjoying them selves. Everyone except two people.

During the celebration, in passing, the princess quickly stopped by the youth and made a hurried, whispered apology.

"I know we both don't like our situation, but I think it would be better if we tried to live our lives they way they are," the princess said.

The youth nodded is head reluctantly in agreement and continued on his way.

Years went on and still the youth was completely jealous about the princess and her new husband, but he always kept to himself. When the king was out and the princess and the youth were alone they would have quiet, comfortable moments together where they new that if either of them needed each other, they would be there for each other. That brought them closer together _and_ kept them apart for the rest of their lives apart from each other.


End file.
